Aircraft electronics thermal regulation systems

ABSTRACT

An electronics cooling system for an aircraft includes a heat exchanger comprising a coolant circuit, an air circuit, and a fuel circuit such that each of the circuits is in thermal communication with at least one of the other circuits. The coolant circuit is in thermal communication with one or more aircraft electronics. The air circuit is in fluid communication with at least one air source. The fuel circuit is in fluid communication with a fuel tank between the fuel tank and an engine of the aircraft.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/229,569 filed on Aug. 5, 2016, which is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to cooling systems, more specifically toaircraft electronics thermal regulation systems.

2. Description of Related Art

High power motor controllers and power conversion devices are eithercooled by air flow or liquid cooling. Liquid is cooled by a ram air heatexchanger. A ram fan is used for heat rejection on ground. Existing ramair fans can have poor reliability due to foreign object damage andinsufficient motor cooling issues. In next generation aircraft, however,electronics based power conversion, e.g., to produce variable speedconstant frequency (VSCF) electric power, will increase cooling demand.Cooling such electronics can be insufficient with existing air coolingor traditional ram air fan cooling.

Such conventional methods and systems have generally been consideredsatisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a needin the art for improved aircraft electronics thermal regulation systems.The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.

SUMMARY

An electronics cooling system for an aircraft includes a heat exchangercomprising a coolant circuit, an air circuit, and a fuel circuit suchthat each of the circuits is in thermal communication with at least oneof the other circuits. The coolant circuit is in thermal communicationwith one or more aircraft electronics. The air circuit is in fluidcommunication with at least one air source. The fuel circuit is in fluidcommunication with a fuel tank between the fuel tank and an engine ofthe aircraft.

The air circuit and the fuel circuit can be in direct thermalcommunication with the coolant circuit within the heat exchanger. Thecoolant circuit can include a coolant, e.g., propylene glycol (e.g.,Dowfrost™) or any other suitable coolant.

The at least one air source can include at least one of a cabin exhaustport and/or a ram air inlet. The air circuit can be in fluidcommunication with both a cabin exhaust port and a ram air inlet.

The system can include at least one air valve disposed between the atleast one air source and the heat exchanger to selectively permitairflow from the at least one air source. In certain embodiments, a fancan be disposed between the cabin exhaust port and the heat exchanger tofacilitate airflow from the cabin exhaust port to the heat exchanger.

The system can further include fuel valve disposed between the fuel tankand the heat exchanger to selectively permit fuel flow to the heatexchanger. In certain embodiments, the system can include a coolant pumpdisposed between the aircraft electronics and the heat exchanger.

In certain embodiments, the coolant circuit in the heat exchanger caninclude a plate shaped portion. The fuel circuit in the heat exchangercan include a plate shaped portion. The air circuit in the heatexchanger can include fins.

A method for cooling electronics on an aircraft includes controlling atleast one air valve disposed between at least one air source and a heatexchanger to be closed during ground operations, taxi, take off, andclimb, and to be open during cruise, descent and landing. The methodalso includes controlling a fuel valve disposed between a fuel tank andthe heat exchanger to be open during ground operations, taxi, take off,and climb, and to be closed during cruise, descent, and landing.

Controlling the at least one air valve can include controlling the atleast one air valve to allow only ram air to flow to the heat exchangerduring cruise. Controlling the at least one air valve can includecontrolling the at least one air valve to allow only cabin exhaust airto flow to the heat exchanger during descent and landing.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subjectdisclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosureappertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices andmethods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation,embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below withreference to certain figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiments of a system in accordancewith this disclosure; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger in accordancewith this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like referencenumerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subjectdisclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and notlimitation, an illustrative view of an embodiment of a system inaccordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designatedgenerally by reference character 100. Other embodiments and/or aspectsof this disclosure are shown in FIG. 2. The systems and methodsdescribed herein can be used to cool aircraft electronics.

Referring to FIG. 1, an electronics cooling system 100 for an aircraftincludes a heat exchanger 101 having a coolant circuit 103, an aircircuit 105, and a fuel circuit 107 such that each of the circuits 103,105, 107 is in thermal communication with at least one of the othercircuits 103, 105, 107. The coolant circuit 103 is in thermalcommunication with one or more aircraft electronics 109, e.g., variablespeed constant frequency electronics (VCSF).

The coolant circuit 103 can include a coolant, e.g., propylene glycol(such as Dowfrost™) or any other suitable coolant. In certainembodiments, the system 100 can include a coolant pump 104 disposedbetween the aircraft electronics 109 and the heat exchanger 101. Thepump 104 can include any suitable pump and/or components thereof (e.g.,a motor, a controller). The aircraft electronics 109 and/or the pump 104can be housed in a pressurized portion of the aircraft, however, anysuitable location is contemplated herein.

The air circuit 105 is in fluid communication with at least one airsource. The at least one air source can include at least one of a cabinexhaust port 115 and/or a ram air inlet 117, for example. In certainembodiments, the air circuit 105 can be in fluid communication with botha cabin exhaust port 115 and a ram air inlet 117.

The system 100 can include at least one air valve 119 disposed betweenthe at least one air source and the heat exchanger 101 to selectivelypermit airflow from the at least one air source. In certain embodiments,as shown in FIG. 1, the air valve 119 can be in fluid communication withboth the cabin exhaust port 115 and the ram air inlet 117. The air valve119 can be a selector valve configured to select between the cabinexhaust port 115 and the ram air inlet 117 and/or can be configured toallow and/or shut off airflow from one or both of the cabin exhaust port115 or the ram air inlet 117.

In certain embodiments, a fan 121 can be disposed between the cabinexhaust port 115 and the heat exchanger 101 to facilitate airflow fromthe cabin exhaust port 115 to the heat exchanger 101. The fan 121 caninclude any suitable fan and/or components thereof (e.g., a motor, acontroller).

The fuel circuit 107 is in fluid communication with a fuel tank 111between the fuel tank 111 and an engine 113 of the aircraft. The aircircuit 105 and the fuel circuit 107 can be in direct thermalcommunication with the coolant circuit 103 within the heat exchanger101. Any other suitable arrangement (e.g., indirect communication) iscontemplated herein. The system 100 can further include fuel valve 123disposed between the fuel tank 111 and the heat exchanger 101 (e.g.,downstream of a fuel pump 125) to selectively permit fuel flow to theheat exchanger 101.

In certain embodiments, referring additionally to FIG. 2, a heatexchanger 201 can include any suitable design. For example, as shown,the coolant circuit 203 in the heat exchanger 201 can include a plateshaped portion 203 a. In certain embodiments, the fuel circuit 207 inthe heat exchanger 201 can include a plate shaped portion 207 a. The aircircuit 205 in the heat exchanger 201 can include fins 205 a. The heatexchanger 201 and portions thereof can be made of any suitable material(e.g., metal). The cooling plate portion 203 a may have a top plate, abottom plate, and fins (not shown) therebetween and inside to enhancetransfer of heat between coolant and the external air or fuel flow. Thecooling plate portion 207 a may have a top plate, a bottom plate, andfins (not shown) inside to enhance transfer of heat between coolant andfuel flow.

The system 100 can further include a controller 127 operativelyconnected to each of the valves 119, 123, and/or pumps 104, 121, 125. Incertain embodiments, the controller 127 can be configured to operateeach of the valves 119, 123 and/or pumps 104, 125, and/or fan 121 tomodify which circuits 103, 105, 107 are used for heat exchange (e.g.,cooling), for example. The controller 127 can include any suitablehardware and/or software configured to control one or more of the valves119, 123 and/or pumps 104, 125, and/or fan 121. The controller 127 canbe configured to execute any suitable embodiment of a method (e.g., asdescribed below) for cooling electronics.

In certain embodiments, a method for cooling electronics on an aircraftincludes controlling at least one air valve 119 disposed between atleast one air source and a heat exchanger 101 to be closed during groundoperations, taxi, take off, and climb, and to be open during cruise,descent and landing, for example. The method also includes controlling afuel valve 123 disposed between a fuel tank 111 and the heat exchanger101 to be open during ground operations, taxi, take off, and climb, andto be closed during cruise, descent, and landing, for example.

In certain embodiments, controlling the at least one air valve 119 caninclude controlling the at least one air valve 119 to allow only ram airto flow to the heat exchanger 101 during cruise. Controlling the atleast one air valve 119 can include controlling the at least one airvalve 119 to allow only cabin exhaust air to flow to the heat exchanger101 during descent and landing, for example.

Embodiments allow thermal regulation (e.g., cooling or heating) ofelectronics. For example, VSCF cold plates can be cooled by flowingcoolant (e.g., Dowfrost™) or any other suitable coolant through coldpates. Coolant can be pumped to a coolant/fuel/air heat exchanger 101.This heat exchanger 101 can cool the coolant with either fuel or air orboth. While on ground or take off, the heat exchanger 101 can be cooledby fuel, for example. For cruise mode, the fuel flow to the heatexchanger 101 can be stopped, the ram air door can be opened and an airselector/on-off air valve 119 can allow ram air to flow through heatexchanger 101 to cool the coolant. Before landing, the ram air door canbe closed and passenger cabin exhaust air can be used. In this manner,embodiments allow the elimination of the ram air fan system. Benefitsinclude a higher reliability of the cooling system and a reduced cost ofcooling system. While systems herein can be used for cooling, it iscontemplated that embodiments can be used for heating and/or anysuitable temperature regulation.

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described aboveand shown in the drawings, provide for aircraft electronics thermalregulation systems with superior properties. While the apparatus andmethods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described withreference to embodiments, those skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the subject disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for cooling electronics on an aircraft,comprising: controlling at least one air valve disposed between at leastone air source and a heat exchanger to be closed during groundoperations, taxi, take off, and climb, and to be open during cruise,descent and landing; and controlling a fuel valve disposed between afuel tank and the heat exchanger to be open during ground operations,taxi, take off, and climb, and to be closed during cruise, descent, andlanding.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the at least oneair valve includes controlling the at least one air valve to allow onlyram air to flow to the heat exchanger during cruise.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein controlling the at least one air valve includescontrolling the at least one air valve to allow only cabin exhaust airto flow to the heat exchanger during descent and landing.